Blueprint for Love (Choc Lit)
Page 10
Later, a knock on the Land Rover’s window brought him out of his involuntary slumber.
‘Cooey! Have you come to see me?’
‘Where have you been?’ Squinting at the morning sun, Jonathan stepped out of the car.
Tabitha pouted. ‘Clubbing. Is there a problem?’
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘Well, come on up.’
He followed her up the stairs to her flat, conscious of the questioning glance she sent him over her shoulder.
‘I’ll get the coffee on,’ she said, in her most sultry voice. ‘You look like you could do with some.’
‘Fine.’ He didn’t really want coffee but it postponed the moment when he had to confront her. Confront her with what exactly? He had nothing to go on, except a hunch, and he wasn’t sure he could trust even his hunches these days.
While Tabitha was in the kitchen, his eyes roamed the décor of her living room – all glass, chrome and white furnishings, which wasn’t much to his taste. He slumped down on her pristine sofa, realising only then how tired and confused he felt, and adjusted an expensive-looking silk cushion. Something dug into his back. Pulling the offending article out from under the cushion, he froze.
It was a crumpled red raincoat.
Smiling, Tabitha appeared with coffee on a tray, but her smile dropped when she saw what he was holding, and she put the tray down.
‘Would you like to explain yourself?’
She gave a tinkling little laugh. ‘How did that get there? I’ve been looking for it everywhere.’
‘It’s not even yours.’
‘Of course it’s mine. Who else would it belong to?’
‘There was a break-in at the Manor, the night between Friday and Saturday. Two people were caught on CCTV, and one of them was wearing this coat, which, by the way, is far too small for you. Hazel claimed that someone had collected her coat from the dry cleaner's, but I didn’t listen. I should have.’
Realising that the game was up, Tabitha sank into an armchair with a dramatic sigh. ‘I did it all for you, Jon-nee.’
‘For me?’
‘I thought we had something.’
‘What gave you that idea? I respected you as a colleague, and I admit you are very attractive,’ Jonathan replied, ‘but that’s all. I’ve never given you the impression that I had any tender feelings towards you.’
‘She turned your head,’ Tabitha snarled, with a sudden nasty expression on her face. ‘I noticed that as soon as she arrived. When my old colleague, Lawrence, contacted me, I saw a way of getting rid of her and helping him at the same time.’
‘So you decided to frame Hazel by deliberately stealing her coat?’ Jonathan’s voice was cold and hard, but she hardly seemed to notice.
Tabitha just shrugged. ‘She’d dropped her dry cleaning ticket in the office, and I collected it to annoy her. That it was a coat proved to be useful, but it was mere chance.’
‘So how did you get in again after the party? I thought all the gates were secured.’
‘I stayed behind afterwards, and took the gate keys from your office. As for the fence around the shed, I’d seen the code for the keypad on your desk, and I knew where the camera was.’
She looked almost proud of herself, while Jonathan had to fight an urge to wipe the smug grin off her face.
‘Are you going to have me arrested?’ she asked, with a toss of her hair. ‘You can’t prove anything.’
He noted the challenge in her words, but didn’t rise to it. Any admiration he’d had for Tabitha had completely evaporated. ‘No, but Lawrence will be. Whether he spills the beans on you or not, is up to him. In the meantime, you can expect the paperwork in the post for dissolving our company partnership. I suggest you sign.’
Clearly she hadn’t considered the possibility that Lawrence might implicate her, and her face paled visibly. Carrying Hazel’s raincoat over his arm, Jonathan left Tabitha standing in the middle of the room, struck dumb.
He called Alison from the Land Rover. ‘When you picked up Hazel yesterday, where did you take her?’
‘To Sunnyside B&B, just off the high street. Why? Jonathan, what have you done?’
‘Only made the biggest mistake in my life,’ he replied, and hung up.
Sunnyside was tucked away in a quiet cul-de-sac, and fortunately there was a parking space right outside. However, Hazel wasn’t there.
‘The young lady checked out early this morning,’ explained the proprietor. ‘She seemed in a hurry.’
‘Do you know where she was heading?’
‘The station, I believe. Wanted to catch the– ‘
Jonathan didn’t hear him out. He jumped back in the Land Rover and reversed out into the high street,, the vehicle’s tyres squealing as it roared off.
Because of his stupidity, Hazel was going to disappear out of his life. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to catch her, and if that meant getting a speeding ticket, then so be it. The alternative – never seeing Hazel again – was unthinkable.
Hazel watched the young family as they entered the platform. The father was pushing a pram with a baby inside, the mother carrying a weekend bag and with a tight grip on the hand of a little boy. The baby dropped her bottle and the father picked it up, sending his wife an affectionate grin. The ordinary, domestic scene made Hazel swallow hard, and she had to look away to prevent the tears she’d refused to shed during the night.
She didn’t blame Jonathan for believing only what his eyes told him. Most people would. She blamed herself for being a fool, for not seeing it coming. For falling in love and making everything so much worse for herself.
Yesterday, when visiting Aunt Rose, she’d blurted it all out, and her aunt had comforted her as best she could. However, there was no cure for a broken heart, they both knew that. Aunt Rose had encouraged her to go away for a while, despite Hazel’s protests that she wanted to stay near her. Eventually, she’d come around to the idea.
She’d called her former flatmate in London, who was very sympathetic and had said Hazel could have the box room in the flat for as long as she wanted it, since her old room had already been let out again.
It didn’t matter to Hazel that she’d be sleeping on a camp bed; she just needed to put some distance between herself and Jonathan while she considered her future.
But what future could there be without Jonathan? Or the boys? Her heart contracted at the thought, and she had to swallow again.
‘A penny for them.’
Jonathan could have kicked himself when Hazel stepped back in alarm, as if she thought he was going to hit her.
‘I know you didn’t do it,’ he said, slightly breathless from his frantic dash through the station building. ‘Tabitha stole your raincoat to make it look like you did. Can you forgive me for not believing you?’
She stared at him, her expression inscrutable. Realising that the situation required a different tactic, he surprised even himself by going down on one knee in front of her.
‘I love you,’ he said. ‘Will you marry me?’
‘But ... ’
‘And you’re not allowed to say ‘no’. I am, after all, your boss.’
Hazel felt the eyes of other passengers on them, and the colour rose in her cheeks. She wished she didn’t have this awful tendency to blush. ‘Jonathan, you ... this is really embarrassing. Please get up.’
‘Not until you agree.’ Grinning broadly, he rose anyway and placed his hands on her shoulders.
Looking up into his handsome face, Hazel composed herself and a smile stole over her lips as she pointed out something he seemed to have forgotten. ‘You sacked me, remember?’
‘I’m revoking it.’
‘Really? Just like that?’
He drew her close for a gentle kiss. ‘Just like that.’
Sighing against his chest, she wanted to remain realistic. ‘The thing is, Jonathan, you already have everything: great kids, a loving dad, even if he doesn’t show it. A beautiful house. Mon
ey. Staff who dote on you. You don’t need me.’
Holding her away from him, he said, ‘How about this? I love your smile, your sense of humour, your kindness, even the way you get yourself into impossible situations. Your unpredictability brightens up my day, and I don’t think I can live without you. Will that do?’
He pulled her into a hot embrace, which raised whispers among the onlookers. Hazel’s heart soared, and she felt herself melt into him.
‘I don’t know. You’d better kiss me again to make sure.’
About the Author
Henriette grew up in Northern Denmark but moved to England after she graduated from the University of Copenhagen. She wrote her first book when she was ten, a tale of two orphan sisters running away to Egypt fortunately to be adopted by a perfect family they meet on the Orient Express.
Between that first literary exploit and now, she has worked in the Danish civil service, for a travel agent, a consultancy company, in banking, hospital administration, and for a county court before setting herself up as a freelance translator and linguist.
Expecting her first child and feeling bored, she picked up the pen again, and when a writer friend encouraged her to join the Romantic Novelists’ Association, she began to pursue her writing in earnest. Her debut novel, Up Close, won the New Talent Award in 2011 from the Festival of Romance and a Commended from the Yeovil Literary Prize.
Henriette is married and lives in London.
Henriette has two full-length novel published - Up Close & The Elephant Girl. Her next novel, The Highwayman’s Daughter, in May 2014.
Follow Henriette:
Twitter – @henrigyland
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Website
More Choc Lit from Henriette Gyland
Up Close (full length novel)
Henriette Gyland
Too close for comfort …
When Dr Lia Thompson’s grandmother dies unexpectedly, Lia is horrified to have to leave her life in America and return to a cold and creaky house in Norfolk. But as events unfold, she can’t help feeling that there is more to her grandmother’s death than meets the eye.
Aidan Morrell is surprised to see Lia, his teenage crush, back in town. But Aidan’s accident when serving in the navy has scarred him in more ways than one, and he has other secrets which must stay hidden at all costs, even from Lia.
As Lia comes closer to uncovering the truth, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew. In a world of increasing danger, is Aidan someone she can trust?
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
The Elephant Girl (full length novel)
Henriette Gyland
Peek-a-boo I see you …
When five-year-old Helen Stephens witnesses her mother's murder, her whole world comes crumbling down. Rejected by her extended family, Helen is handed over to child services and learns to trust no-one but herself. Twenty years later, her mother's killer is let out of jail, and Helen swears vengeance.
Jason Moody runs a halfway house, desperate to distance himself from his father's gangster dealings. But when Helen shows up on his doorstep, he decides to dig into her past, and risks upsetting some very dangerous people.
As Helen begins to question what really happened to her mother, Jason is determined to protect her. But Helen is getting too close to someone who'll stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden ...
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
More from Choc Lit
If you’ve enjoyed Henriette’s hero, you’ll enjoy the rest of our selection. Here’s a sample of our full length novels:
Highland Storms
Winner of the 2012 Historical Romantic Novel of the Year Award
Who can you trust?
Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate.
But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate’s in ruin and money is disappearing. He discovers an ally in Marsaili Buchanan, the beautiful redheaded housekeeper, but can he trust her?
Marsaili is determined to build a good life. She works hard at being a housekeeper and harder still at avoiding men who want to take advantage of her. But she’s irresistibly drawn to the new clan chief, even though he’s made it plain he doesn’t want to be shackled to anyone.
And the young laird has more than romance on his mind. His investigations are stirring up an enemy. Someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants – including Marsaili – even if that means destroying Brice’s life forever …
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
Please Don’t Stop the Music
Jane Lovering
Winner of the 2012 Romantic Novel of the Year &
Romantic Comedy of the Year awards
How much can you hide?
Jemima Hutton is determined to build a successful new life and keep her past a dark secret. Trouble is, her jewellery business looks set to fail – until enigmatic Ben Davies offers to stock her handmade belt buckles in his guitar shop and things start looking up, on all fronts.
But Ben has secrets too. When Jemima finds out he used to be the front man of hugely successful Indie rock band Willow Down, she wants to know more. Why did he desert the band on their US tour? Why is he now a semi-recluse?
And the curiosity is mutual – which means that her own secret is no longer safe ...
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
The UnTied Kingdom
Kate Johnson
Shortlisted for the RONA Best Contemporary Novel 2012
The portal to an alternate world was the start of all her troubles– or was it?
When Eve Carpenter lands with a splash in the Thames, it’s not the London or England she’s used to. No one has a telephone or knows what a computer is. England’s a third world country and Princess Di is still alive. But worst of all, everyone thinks Eve’s a spy.
Including Major Harker who has his own problems. His sworn enemy is looking for a promotion. The general wants him to undertake some ridiculous mission to capture a computer, which Harker vaguely envisions running wild somewhere in Yorkshire. Turns out the best person to help him is Eve.
She claims to be a popstar. Harker doesn’t know what a popstar is, although he suspects it’s a fancy foreign word for ‘spy’. Eve knows all about computers, and electricity. Eve is dangerous. There’s every possibility she’s mad.
And Harker is falling in love with her.
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
Never Coming Home
Evonne Wareham
Winner of the 2012 Joan Hessayon New Writers Award
All she has left is hope
When Kaz Elmore is told her five-year-old daughter Jamie has died in a car crash, she struggles to accept that she’ll never see her little girl again. Then a stranger comes into her life offering the most dangerous substance in the world: hope.
Devlin, security consultant and witness to the terrible accident scene, inadvertently reveals that Kaz’s daughter might not have been the girl in the car after all.
What if Jamie is still alive? With no evidence, the police aren’t interested, so Devlin and Kaz have little choice but to investigate themselves.
Devlin never gets involved with a client. Never. But the more time he spends with Kaz, the more he desires her – and the more his carefully constructed ice-man persona starts to unravel .
The desperate search for Jamie leads down dangerous paths – to a murderous acquaintance from Devlin’s dark past, and all across Europe, to Italy, where deadly secrets await.
But as
long as Kaz has hope, she can’t stop looking…
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store:
UK here
US here
The Importance of being Emma
Juliet Archer
Darcy & Friends Series
Winner of 2011 Big Red Reads Fiction Award.
Mark Knightley – handsome, clever, rich – is used to women falling at his feet. Except Emma Woodhouse, who’s like part of the family – and the furniture. When their relationship changes dramatically, is it an ending or a new beginning?
Emma’s grown into a stunningly attractive young woman, full of ideas for modernising her family business.
Then Mark gets involved and the sparks begin to fly. It’s just like the old days, except that now he’s seeing her through totally new eyes.
While Mark struggles to keep his feelings in check, Emma remains immune to the Knightley charm. She’s never forgotten that embarrassing moment when he discovered her teenage crush on him. He’s still pouring scorn on all her projects, especially her beautifully orchestrated campaign to find Mr Right for her ditzy PA. And finally, when the mysterious Flynn Churchill – the man of her dreams – turns up, how could she have eyes for anyone else?
Find out more and purchase in the kindle store: